Organisers of the Kent County Show have reported an spectacular return to form with a weekend attendance of 75,000 people.
The show team has also reported a record for online advance ticket sales as well seeing the Friday attendance double in size compared with previous years.
The 75,000 attendance was not the record breaking year that was hoped for but it has marked a return to popularity for the event which closed with some controversy in 2012.
Chairman Kevin Attwood was delighted after Friday’s good start but is yet to comment on the weekend as a whole.
He said: “The Kent Showground team work extremely hard all year and whilst we planned for inclement weather the sunshine has been a welcome change. We are extremely confident that the attendance figures will far exceed last years overall attendance”.
Friday’s event saw the Rt. Hon Owen Paterson, Minister for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs talk to the Farming Community and listening to issues affecting food production in the County. Olympic icon Dame Kelly Holmes also made a surprise visit to the Show. Dame Kelly spent time in the Produced in Kent area talking to local producers.
She said: “The Kent County Show is a brilliant showcase for the whole county. In particular we have some wonderful local producers with great products. I am so pleased the weather has been good and it has proved to be a very interesting and educational trip. It makes me proud to come from Kent”.
Dame Kelly Holmes was able to talk to several producers who can supply her new business venture a coffee shop in Hildenborough that she hopes will open next year.
